Post-Tattoo Workouts

Tattoos are open wounds. That’s worth remembering.

You may have taken a spill at some point in your life and took the skin off your knees or palms or what-have-you. So, here’s the question for you: if you just shredded your leg on some asphalt, would you immediately go to the gym for leg day? Probably not. The same basic logic applies to post-tattoo workouts.

In an interview with Popsugar, one medical doctor explained how one might change a workout routine to address this, considering working out–especially in a gym–can mean exposing your body to considerable amounts of bacteria:

That means it’s best to break from hot yoga, instead sticking with light exercise like walking. (You’ll be grateful you did, since you also can’t shower at first. “Showering without rubbing should probably wait 24 to 36 hours,” Dr. Laumann said.) Even then, you should probably only exercise if there’s no risk your tattoo will rub against anything, she explained. Take note of whether that part of your body will be mobile, and plan to wear baggy clothes rather than fitted tops and leggings.

That said, after my last session I had the area wrapped in Tegaderm, a medical-grade transparent dressing. It was safe, clean, and allowed me to participate in activities that I otherwise would’ve shied away from given the recency of the work.

Again: fresh tattoos are literally open wounds. Treat them accordingly and you’ll be just fine.